I guess the point really is . . . who cares if they do beat Miami? Does it change anything?

Miami loses to mediocre teams all the time.

The Thunder lost to the Wizards recently.

I guess it's fine to overreact when the Celtics are the ones losing to mediocre teams.

Who cares if we beat Miami? Well, I'm sure you'll be the first one complaining about the Celtics if we lose to them... can't have it both ways.

Actually you can have it both ways. The celtics have put themselves in a position where every loss is looked at closely and every win is just "Show me more". A loss is alot more impactful than a win right now.

That doesn't mean don't win the game it just means they will have ALOT more to prove regardless of it they win and if they lose its just further proving everybody's belief that this team is just not good enough to do anything. *Or maybe the coach isn't good enough, you choose*.

Sure, they'll have more to prove than just this one game, but that doesn't mean this game doesn't matter. The team is currently in the eighth seed and entering a stretch of the season where every game starts to matter. Wins are needed right now, whether it's against the Heat or the Bobcats. The fact that this game is against the defending champions and the favorites to win it again means that it matters a little more, though. If the team can pull off a win on Sunday, it could give them a much needed boost of confidence that could very well help stem the bleeding of this six game losing streak.

It may not matter much to you or PhoSita, but I can pretty much guarantee that it matters to the members of the Boston Celtics.

Yeah, I just don't buy it. We've dominated miami in the regular season before just to lose to them in the playoffs. That was back when our team was actually somewhat consistent. The whole confidence thing i don't buy that either.

I don't think a win sunday means are team is suddenly going to start being consistent. I don't think this team with this coach is doing anything this year. I don't think they're good enough. I want us to beat miami sunday but if we do I'm not naive enough to make a huge deal out of it.

I don't think a win on Sunday would necessarily mean the team is suddenly going to start being consistent either. The good news is that we've still got just under forty games left to find that consistency.

The talent is there. I think that would be hard to deny. Based on past experience, I trust our coach and our veterans to find a rhythm that works by the time the playoffs roll around.

And, by the way, our team wasn't all that consistent last year until the second half of the season. I think it's a legitimate position to expect a similar turnaround this year. Yes, Garnett and Pierce are a year older, and they haven't looked too great lately, but, on the other hand, they don't look completely washed up to me either. To me, Pierce's problems look to be as much in his head as in his legs. That's a good sign. He can get his head right.

As to Doc's coaching, my position on him is that he's patient to the point where it can get frustrating to fans who clearly don't share his patience. His patience gets seen for stubbornness. After every regular season loss, the fans want to change everything. That's not how it works. Luckily, Doc knows that. He knows that building a contender is a difficult, arduous process. And, he knows that the results aren't necessarily going to be there in January, and that it's more important that they are there in May and June.

We've all seen what we have with this team. On the one hand, we have a youthful, defensive ball pressure, uptempo team with a great open floor point guard. On the other hand, we have a grind it out, half court, defensive minded, possession based team led by two aging hall of fame caliber veterans. Rondo straddles both identities.

It's a conundrum, but one that I think can be solved. It's not going to happen overnight (and apparently not even through 43 games). I look forward to when it does click, though. I think it's a mix that could end up being really potent. We've seen glimpses of it. We just haven't seen very much consistency with it to date. We'll see.

I guess the point really is . . . who cares if they do beat Miami? Does it change anything?

Miami loses to mediocre teams all the time.

The Thunder lost to the Wizards recently.

I guess it's fine to overreact when the Celtics are the ones losing to mediocre teams.

Who cares if we beat Miami? Well, I'm sure you'll be the first one complaining about the Celtics if we lose to them... can't have it both ways.

Actually you can have it both ways. The celtics have put themselves in a position where every loss is looked at closely and every win is just "Show me more". A loss is alot more impactful than a win right now.

That doesn't mean don't win the game it just means they will have ALOT more to prove regardless of it they win and if they lose its just further proving everybody's belief that this team is just not good enough to do anything. *Or maybe the coach isn't good enough, you choose*.

Sure, they'll have more to prove than just this one game, but that doesn't mean this game doesn't matter. The team is currently in the eighth seed and entering a stretch of the season where every game starts to matter. Wins are needed right now, whether it's against the Heat or the Bobcats. The fact that this game is against the defending champions and the favorites to win it again means that it matters a little more, though. If the team can pull off a win on Sunday, it could give them a much needed boost of confidence that could very well help stem the bleeding of this six game losing streak.

It may not matter much to you or PhoSita, but I can pretty much guarantee that it matters to the members of the Boston Celtics.

Yeah, I just don't buy it. We've dominated miami in the regular season before just to lose to them in the playoffs. That was back when our team was actually somewhat consistent. The whole confidence thing i don't buy that either.

I don't think a win sunday means are team is suddenly going to start being consistent. I don't think this team with this coach is doing anything this year. I don't think they're good enough. I want us to beat miami sunday but if we do I'm not naive enough to make a huge deal out of it.

I don't think a win on Sunday would necessarily mean the team is suddenly going to start being consistent either. The good news is that we've still got just under forty games left to find that consistency.

The talent is there. I think that would be hard to deny. Based on past experience, I trust our coach and our veterans to find a rhythm that works by the time the playoffs roll around.

And, by the way, our team wasn't all that consistent last year until the second half of the season. I think it's a legitimate position to expect a similar turnaround this year. Yes, Garnett and Pierce are a year older, and they haven't looked too great lately, but, on the other hand, they don't look completely washed up to me either. To me, Pierce's problems look to be as much in his head as in his legs. That's a good sign. He can get his head right.

As to Doc's coaching, my position on him is that he's patient to the point where it can get frustrating to fans who clearly don't share his patience. His patience gets seen for stubbornness. After every regular season loss, the fans want to change everything. That's not how it works. Luckily, Doc knows that. He knows that building a contender is a difficult, arduous process. And, he knows that the results aren't necessarily going to be there in January, and that it's more important that they are there in May and June.

We've all seen what we have with this team. On the one hand, we have a youthful, defensive ball pressure, uptempo team with a great open floor point guard. On the other hand, we have a grind it out, half court, defensive minded, possession based team led by two aging hall of fame caliber veterans. Rondo straddles both identities.

It's a conundrum, but one that I think can be solved. It's not going to happen overnight (and apparently not even through 43 games). I look forward to when it does click, though. I think it's a mix that could end up being really potent. We've seen glimpses of it. We just haven't seen very much consistency with it to date. We'll see.

Maybe I'm just a blind homer.

Very cute.

I'm glad to see you come up with some solid arguments for your position.

It wouldn't surprise me if we won. At this point, nothing would surprise me about this team. We've played 43 games, guys. This team is what it is.

I don't really care what we do until we make a trade. I'll watch the games, but I won't expect to see any significant improvement. I guess that's what most disappointing about this team: usually, teams get better as the seasons progresses, and then take it up a notch in the playoffs. We've been the exact same team since we lost to Miami on October 30, sans that stretch when Bradley came back.

In the past, this team has gotten by just coasting. This year, we can't afford to do that.

It wouldn't surprise me if we won. At this point, nothing would surprise me about this team. We've played 43 games, guys. This team is what it is.

I don't really care what we do until we make a trade. I'll watch the games, but I won't expect to see any significant improvement. I guess that's what most disappointing about this team: usually, teams get better as the seasons progresses, and then take it up a notch in the playoffs. We've been the exact same team since we lost to Miami on October 30, sans that stretch when Bradley came back.

In the past, this team has gotten by just coasting. This year, we can't afford to do that.

This is basically where i am right now. I'm 100 percent convinced this team is not good enough to win a championship. Are they better than their record? I think so.

If doc was as good as the hype id think we'd be doing at least a little better right now. Still, in order for me to get really excited again i need danny to make some moves and give us a realistic shot at a title instead of a pipe dream.

There, I said it. You won't convince me otherwise, and we're going to win comfortably.

If my sportsbook account was still open i would bet big $$$$$$$$$$$ on the heat.

The Heat has actually been playing poorly. Definitely not as poorly as us, but poorly nevertheless. I too think the C's win this one.

have the heat lost 6 in a row? Did they just blow a 27 point lead?

And that means what exactly? Does that matter when the game is actually played? sDon't know about you, but I actually live in Miami and see the majority of Heat games. Their defense is awful and they are dead last in rebounding. They are not playing like the juggernaut a lot of people make them out to be. Especially on the road.

And the celtics are the 2nd worse rebounding team. And NYK is the 6th worst. And the Lakers and TWolves are the 3rd and 5th best. I don't think rebounding is the appropriate measuring stick for a team's success.

There, I said it. You won't convince me otherwise, and we're going to win comfortably.

There is nothing to convince you. Just look at our 6 game losing streak.

Miami is excellent at closing out games bc they have the two best in the league who can do it.

Celts will hang in there until the 4th and wheels will come off imo.

Doc has to change his gameplan for the love of god and stop giving iso sitatuions to pierce late in the game. Stress to the guys to make the extra pass for the open shot. You have to trust. When we beat the knicks about 10 games ago, without Rondo, this was the way we played. It was amazing basketball.